Armchair tray table



Oct. 19, 1954 H. A. WHITEHEA ARMCHAIR TRAY TABLE Filed Oct. 31. 1952 INVENTOR. #59557 A. W/l/TEl/E ATTORNEY.

Patented Oct. 19, 1954 UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE ARMCHAIR TRAY TABLE Herbert A. Whitehead, Yeadon, Pa.

Application October 31, 1952, Serial No. 317,861

2 Claims. (Cl. 31117) The present invention relates to a table or tray so designed and constructed that it is adapted to be applied to, and removed from, an arm of a living room arm chair or the like.

There are many occasions When it is desired to serve food and beverages in the living room. The usual custom is to utilize an ordinary tray but this has well-recognized disadvantages from the standpoint both of the server and the person served. Since living rooms conventionally contain arm chairs and sofas, it would be extremely desirable to be able to utilize the arms thereof for serving purposes and it is with this problem that the present invention is concerned.

One of the advantages Of the present invention resides in the provision of a relatively simple tray table which is adapted to be readily applied to and removed from the arms of arm chairs, sofas, or the like, and whichis capable of gripping such arms in a manner adequate to maintain the tray table in a level position and to avoid accidental tilting or displacement thereof.

Another object of the invention resides in the provision of a tray table having a tray provided with simple, yet efiective, spring clamp or gripping means in order to enable it to be applied to the arms of living room arm chairs, sofas, or the like, without in any way injuring the furniture and enabling the tray table to be firmly placed in the desired position regardless of the particular curvature or contours of the arms of such furniture.

Other and further objects and advantages will be understood or pointed out in connection with the followin description, taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawing, wherein Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a tray table in accordance with my invention illustrating the same applied to an arm of an arm chair or sofa, which is fragmentarily illustrated therein;

Fig. 2 is an enlarged end elevational view of the parts shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged plan view of my new tray table showing the gripping arms in the positions which they occupy during use;

Fig. 4 is an end elevational view of my new tray table in its compacted condition when not in use and Fig. 5 is a fragmentary view lookin up underneath one of the corners of the tray table.

Referring to the drawings in detail, my new tray table comprises a tray proper Ill which comprises a flat surface surrounded by a raised mar ginal edge portion II. Foods and beverages, and the containers therefor, are adapted to be placed upon the flat surface and the raised edge portion II prevents them from slipping or sliding off the fiat surface. The tray proper may be made of any suitable materials, such as wood, metal or plastic, and may, if desired, be provided with surface ornamentation or colored in any suitable manner. The tray I0 is provided on its underside with the depending portions I2 which may extend along the sides and ends of the tray and which are provided with apertures for the reception of the gripping members designated as a whole by numerals I3, I3. Each of these gripping members I3 is composed of wire or other suitable rod-like material and includes S-shaped end members I4 which are connected at their lower ends by an integral transverse rod portion I5. Extending between the S-shaped members I4 somewhat above and parallel to members I5 are the transverse members I6 which are suitably secured to the S-shaped members by brazing, welding, soldering or in any other suitable manner. The upper ends of the S-shaped members I4 are inturned and bent at an angle, as shown at IT, and are hooked into the apertures I8 in the depending portions I2. A pair of coil springs I9 is provided having one end suitably attached to a transverse member I6 centrally thereof and the other end connected into the depending portions I2 (Fig. 4) It will also be noted that the S-shaped members I4 are so arranged that, when the tray is in its inoperative condition, the gripping members I3 are disposed in nested relationship.

When it is desired to apply the tray to the arm of an arm chair or sofa, fragmentarily shown at 29 (Fig. l), the grippers are spread apart and placed on either side of such arm, whereupon the coil springs I9 cause the gripping members to hold the tray firmly in position on the arm and. this position is aided and the gripping action enhanced by the lower portions of the S-shaped end members I4 which bear against the surface or covering of the arm, and the holding action is further increased by the presence of the lowermost transverse members I5. Thus, food, beverages and the like can be readily served and the tray table quickly and. easily applied to and removed from the furniture without any damage thereto, regardless of the exact curvatures or configurations of such arms. The tray table is thus maintained in position despite the fact that the upper surface of such arms is ordinarily convexly curved.

It will, therefore, be apparent thatI have provided, as stated above, a simple, effective and convenient tray table which is adapted to be applied to the arms of living room arm chairs, sofas and the like and which is essentially composed of a tray and a pair of opposed spring-urged grippers. It will further be understood that the foregoing is intended as typical or illustrative and that modifications may be made therein without departing from the invention as defined by the appended claims.

I claim;

1. A tray table applicable to and removable from the arms of livin room chairs and sofas which comprises a fiat tray provided on its underside with depending portions having apertures therethrough and a pair of spring-urged gripping members, each such gripping member including a.

pair of spaced S-shaped wire end members connected across their distal ends by an integral transverse rod portion, a transverse member secured at its ends to said wire end members intermediate the ends thereof and a coil spring one of he. ends ofiw ich. is connected tosadd transverse memb r and th ther nd w ich is connect d o he epen ing tr y p t onsvia one of he. r ures; he n nd of; e ch of; the wire end,

operative condition, the said gripping members being constructed and dimensioned forthat purpose...

References Cited in the file of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 632,304. Alsberg Sept. 5, 1899 1,008,037 Johnson Nov. 7, 1911 1,300,861 Otte Apr. 15, 1919 1,300,862. Otte Apr. 15, 1949 2,501,580 Reid Mar, 21, 1950 Number- Country' Date 322,650 Great Britain Dec. 12, 1929" 

